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Mon, 12/03/2018 — BrightSparks

Amidst a backdrop of
global interest in digital talent, local tertiary students are choosing
Computer Science/ Information Technology and Information Systems as one of
their most preferred course of study. Yet while most are keen to finance their
further studies with scholarships, many graduates are hesitant to apply due to
concerns over their academic ability. These are among the key findings of the 2018 BrightSparks Scholarship and Higher Education Survey.

Held for the 11th
year, the BrightSparks Scholarship and Education Survey is an annual study of
scholarships, higher education and career preferences of potential scholarship
recipients in Singapore. A total of 3,345 respondents, including top GCE ‘A’
Level and International Baccalaureate (IB) students and graduates, polytechnic students
and university undergraduates, participated in this year’s survey.

Computer Science/
Information Technology and Information Systems courses are the most desired courses among top GCE ‘A’
Level and International Baccalaureate (IB) graduates[1] ,
and among the top two choices for all respondents. Other popular courses
include Business Administration and Health Sciences. “The popularity of
computer science courses could be attributed to the fact that with the upcoming
trend of technology, there are excellent prospects and demand for people
trained in this field,” said Premlesh Machama, APAC Region President of CareerBuilder Singapore.

While applying for scholarships continue to be
the preferred option to finance further studies, the fear of not being able to
keep up with the required grades or not being able to meet the academic
requirements is one of the biggest barriers
across the board. “There is a predominant understanding that scholarships are
awarded only to top students with good grades. Academic grades are not the only
criteria, and there is a need to highlight to students other key attributes,
such as leadership skills and co-curricular activities involvement, that can determine
the outcome of getting a desirable scholarship,” added Premlesh.

Other findings include:

The Healthcare
sector is the most preferred industry of work, a departure from 2017’s
Banking and Financial Services sector. Respondents
were also very keen on the Public Service, Banking and Financial Services, Engineering,
and Computer Software sectors.

Prominent scholarship providers
such as the National University of Singapore and Nanyang Technology remains
among the top 3 favourites among the students. The increasing interest in the
healthcare sector saw MOH Holdings rise significantly in popularity as the most
preferred scholarship provider among polytechnic graduates, and one of the top
5 overall options for respondents.

Respondents were unanimous
in the top three factors that makes an
ideal job – Having good career growth and opportunities, work-life balance,
and job security. Other factors cited include having an interesting job scope,
and being in a position to make a positive impact to society.

Similar to 2017, most
respondents expect a starting salary of S$3,001
to S$3,500.

For more information on the BrightSparks Survey Report 2018, view the extract report here.

[1]Top
GCE “A” level graduates refer to those “A” Level students who have attained at
least three or more “A”s for their H2 subjects. Top IB Diploma graduates refer
to those who have attained a score of at least 39 points and above.